APRIL 63 



necessary for the efficient capture of trout by the drifter 

 the skill to appreciate the best points of a trout 

 fishing lake, the skill to know the right hour, wind, and 

 water for a success, the skill to so manoeuvre the boat 

 as to give proper control to the rod fisher in his choice 

 of water fished, if such be not all supplied by the gillie 

 at so much per day. Only one piece of skill is an 

 absolute necessity, namely the faculty to appreciate a 

 rise, and to know when and how to strike. How 

 different is this from the dry-fly fisher's multifold art, 

 which appeals much more keenly to the author's idea 

 of what sport should be. Certainly, perhaps owing to 

 the increasing popularity of angling generally, and the 

 consequent scarcity of really first-class fishing, a school 

 of loch-fishers has risen who do not confine themselves 

 to the orthodox boat-drift; these anglers do use their 

 own brains and skill to seek out fish even in lakes. Of 

 these, the chief prophet is the author of " Lochs and 

 Loch-fishing," Hamish Stewart, whose book is well 

 worth perusal by all interested in loch trouting or 

 indeed trouting of any description. The book is, how- 

 ever, somewhat marred by unnecessary attacks on 

 other types of angling. 



Owing to the number of anglers from the South who 

 each year invade the Scotch trout lochs, a love of lake- 

 fishing has become implanted among sportsmen in 

 many Midland towns. This, together with the facilities 

 offered by the various fish-breeding establishments, has 

 led to the stocking of many of the reservoirs which 

 supply our smaller industrial centres, such as North- 

 ampton, Derby, Kettering, &c. 



In some of these reservoirs the fish have thriven well 

 and grown to great weights, having been taken up to 

 six or even seven pounds each with the fly. In few of 

 these artificial waters have the fish bred owing, in many 

 instances, to the lack of spawning grounds : where such 

 is the case a sufficient head of fish can be kept up by 

 constant re-stocking. 



In these lakes as much fishing is done from the banks 

 as from the punts ; by the use of large flies, good sport 



